


The Marshal's dance

by NYWCgirl



Series: May whump 2020 [23]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Death Sentence, Gen, Hanging, Hurt/Comfort, water whump 2020, ww-no.23
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:22:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24338839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Sometimes Mac can’t break them out of their cell and they need to rely on somebody else to get them out of the mess.
Series: May whump 2020 [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727719
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	The Marshal's dance

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet is written for the twenty third day of May’s month of whump. The prompt was ‘nautical justice.

‘It’s gonna be OK, kid.’

‘Jack, we’re sentenced to death by hanging. In what possible universe is that OK. The fact that we are privateers and not pirates didn´t matter at all.’

‘Yeah, well, you will think of something, right?’

Mac stays silent, there isn´t anything he can do. The iron shackles are designed to withstand about anything. When a guard appears Mac’s gut clenches, this is it, they will be taken to the execution dock from Marshalsea prison. This is the place were all nautical crimes are dealt with by the Admiralty who holds no territorial jurisdiction over the land, so maritime justice takes place “on water”.

When the door opens Mac knows they are in trouble. A small army of armed men is waiting for them and there is nothing he can use to create a distraction. He is pulled upright and pushed toward the waiting men. He can hear Jack receiving the same treatment. They are escorted towards a cart. It sort of looks like a prison cell on wheels. A chaplain is waiting for them, but they both wave him away. The wellbeing of their souls is the last of their concern right now.

The procession is led by the High Court Marshal riding on horseback, carrying a silver oar, representing the authority of the Admiralty over crimes committed at sea.

The cart stops at a public house and the innkeeper comes out with two quarts of ale. Thirsty, both men drink up, it will probably by the last drink they’ll have. Mac can feel the alcohol almost immediately flush his face when it hits his empty stomach. While the cart continues its way to the gallows, people are crowding the streets.

When the cart stops, Jack watches Mac with a sad smile.

‘Well, we did our best, kid. ‘

They are escorted to the scaffold and Mac realizes their hanging is going to be done with a shortened rope. It will mean a slow death as the drop from the scaffold won’t be high enough to break their neck. It’s called the _Marshal’s dance_ , because the condemned man’s limbs would often be seen to dance from slow strangulation.

Jack’s eyes widen, he seems to have come to the same realization.

‘It was an honor to have known you, Mac!’

‘Same here, captain!’

The executioner puts a bag over his head that blacks out his view, for which he is grateful so he doesn´t have to see the crowd and Jack doesn´t have to see him suffocating. The noose is put around his neck. This is it, he can only hope it will be quick.

The moment the hatch opens underneath his feet, there is brief falling feeling before the rope tightens around his neck without breaking it. He starts struggling, even with his hands bound behind his back. He can hear commotion next to him and then everything goes black.

* * *

The moment Jack feels the rope breaking, he falls and painfully hits something hard underneath him. Someone cuts the rope tying his hands. He rips the bag of his head. The executioner is fighting someone above them. Above him, he can see Mac just going limp. A sword appears out of nowhere and cuts the rope around Mac’s neck. He catches Mac’s limp body. The man fighting the executioner jumps through the hole in the scaffold in the boat and the men inside start rowing. Jack can´t pay attention to who they are. He pulls the bag from Mac’s head and stares shocked at the purplish color.

‘Come on, kid, breathe.’

The noose around his neck is tight, he asks for a knife and cuts it carefully. He then hits the kid in the gut, and he gasps, taking in a deep breathe. He himself takes a deep one in relief.

The man in black reveals him or better herself.

‘Riley?’

‘Yeah, who else would save your skinny asses?’

‘Thanks.’

‘How is he?’

‘He’s breathing. He’ll probably will have some scarring from the rope, especially how fair skinned he is.’

‘Come on kid, time to wake up.’

Mac’s eyes flutter open.

‘W’ht?’ he croaks hoarsely.

‘Don’t talk kid, give your vocal cords some rest. You’re safe. Riley had our backs.’


End file.
